Category: Brazil knowledge

According to a release from Brazil’s government (August 9, 2011), a new industrial, technological, service and foreign trade policy has been outlined for Brazil. The new measures are to reduce the 20% welfare tax to zero (0%) for sectors that are sensitive to the exchange rate and international competition and which are labor intensive—such as, apparel, footwear, furniture and software.

In addition to payroll tax breaks, the new program (known in English as “Greater Brazil”) establishes a series of initial action ranging from tax breaks on exports, the creation of Reintegra(which pays back to manufactured goods exporters 3% of their export revenue along the same lines as an income tax rebate), to approval of the government purchasing law, the strengthening of commercial defenses, and the creation of special low tax rates for different sectors.

In addition, the industrial policy makes the National Economic and Social Development Bank (BNDES) responsible for financing innovation and investment. One of the main measures in this area is a R$ 2 billion credit line to expand the bank’s innovation portfolio.

The overall strategic guidelines for the Greater Brazil plan and other new measures are expected to be announced in the next few days.

The GDP (Gross Domestic Product), sum of goods and services generated by the economy, grew 0.8% in the second quarter, showing 1.2% before the downturn of the previous quarter. Consumer spending, driven by higher employment and income, grew by 1%. According to figures released by the IBGE, the loss of rhythm was more concentrated in the industry, which suffer the effects of the strong real. Imports registered an increase of only 0.2%

Brazil’s Boom Creates Demand for Talent

Multinational companies are taking extra measures to secure qualified employees in Brazil’s booming economy. To cope with a talent shortage, many are beefing up internship programs, spending more on training and salaries and relocating workers from flat or declining markets.

Particularly in demand: English-speaking managers and engineers, as well as those with experience in business development.

Brazil’s economy has soared in recent years as its oil, gas and ethanol sectors thrived. In 2010, U.S. foreign direct investment in Brazil totaled $6.2 billion, up from $2.4 billion in 2003, according to the Banco Central do Brasil. From January through April this year, U.S. investment reached $3.1 billion. To read the full article please visit: Brazil’s Boom Creates Demand for Talent – Barrons.com.

For the first time, Brazil is allowing access to documents that might unmask tortures from the military dictatorship.

When President Dilma Rousseff, a former urban guerrilla tortured for 22 straight days with electric shocks under Brazil’s military dictatorship, took office in January she was ambivalent about her past as a young activist: “I don’t have any regrets, nor any resentment or rancor,” she said.

Rousseff has since done little for those looking for justice for crimes under the dictatorship. For one, her new government has waffled on whether it supports allowing archival documents to be declassified as confidential in a proposed access-to-information law. Continue reading

PLEASE ALL FOREIGN PASSPORT HOLDERS CONSULT THE FOLLOWING LINK FOR ALL INFORMATION REGARDING THE NEED OR EXEMPTION OF VISAS TO BRAZIL. A PDF TABLE WILL BE DOWNLOADED.Click here

Depending on the purpose of visit and on the visitor’s nationality, a visa is not required to enter Brazil. EU citizens on a tourism or business trip to Brazil, for instance, are exempt. For other cases, check below at “How to apply for a visa” whether you are exempt or not. Even if you are exempt from a visa, on arrival in Brazil you must produce a passport valid for at least six months.

Argentinians, Bolivians, Chileans, Colombians, Ecuadorians, Paraguayans, Peruvians and Uruguayans are exempt from passport requirement to enter Brazil as tourists. Nationals from these countries may simply produce their national identity cards instead.

Additionally, you may be required by the Brazilian Migration Police (Polícia Federal) to meet the following conditions:

1) Prove you have sufficient funds for your term of stay.

2) Demonstrate your travel objective (for instance, by means of a hotel reservation and a roundtrip ticket, in case of a tourism trip).

NEW VISA SYSTEM

HOW TO APPLY FOR A VISA

Visas are classified according to the nature of the trip and stay in Brazil.
Most cases of visa application fall under one of the types below.
Please click on the line that best fits your case or send an e-mail tovisas@consbras.nl asking for further instructions on how to apply.

AUTHORIZED VISAS
A few kinds of visas (VITEM-III, VITEM-V, VITEM-VI and VIPER) are only issued under authorization from Brazilian home authorities.Click here to check whether the Consulate General has been authorized to issue you a visa.

As another minister goes, Brazil’s president may find that the price of trying to clean up politics involves forgoing reforms the country needs.

SHE arrived in the presidential palace with a reputation as a no-nonsense manager, but one who had never previously held elected office. Almost eight months into her term as Brazil’s president, Dilma Rousseff has found herself sucked into the political swamp that is Brasília. She has reacted firmly to corruption scandals, and is striving to trim budget pork and to fill senior government jobs on merit rather than through political connections. Her reward has been signs of mutiny in her coalition. With the world economy deteriorating, whether Ms Rousseff can impose her authority on her allies matters a lot for Brazil’s prospects.

Diving into another culture is an exercise of patience, curiosity and common sense. If you plan to spend some time in another country, there is a certain attitude that will benefit you – and several no-nos that might cause you embarrassment or trouble. Certain rules are, of course, universal and would be wise no matter what country you visit. Others are very specific to the Brazilian reality.

Too much sugar, too much salt, lots of food with low nutritious value and three daily cups of coffee. That is on the table of Brazilians, according to a study just released by IBGE, the federal statistics bureau. Even if the balanced and healthy traditional rice-bean-meat menu is still prevalent, the country needs to reconsider its diet. According to IBGE